Dirty Dancing

Comments (0) By Jonathan Zwickel Thursday, Oct 20 2005

You didn't ask for it, but you got it. To accompany the upstart Nocturnal and the granddaddy Space, Downtown Miami is now home to a third big-budget übersupermegaclub called, fittingly, Metropolis. You can actually count Metropolis as numbers three through seven, since the 35,000-square-foot monster is home to five distinct "arenas" — smaller, themed subclubs that ostensibly cater to niche partiers. Weekends have seen the place packed since its opening in September. While hip-hop dominates the Shelter and Nile rooms, Prophecy has featured some bumping house beats, including hometown hero and resident DJ Bruno, and reggaeton and Latin have spiced up Azucar and Amazonia. That trend continues with the arrival of globetrotting Venezuelan playboys Los Amigos Invisibles.

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In the span of three full-length albums, Los Amigos have transitioned from a louche, goony, funk-raunch band to a louche, sophisticated, funk-raunch band. For their most recent platter, last year's The Venezuelan Zinga Son Vol. 1(approximate translation: The Venezuelan Fuckfest), the six-man group enlisted the production genius of Masters at Work and dove gracefully into the swirling currents of dance-floor electronica. Sparkling with filtered percussion, discodelic breaks, and a silvery, synthesized sheen, the album's a mood enhancer that could've been born out of the OM or Ubiquity Records incubator. Their live shows are nothing short of sweaty, anthemic lovefests, which should filth up the newly minted confines of Metropolis quite nicely.

Los Amigos Invisibles play at 11:30 p.m. Saturday, October 22, in the Azucar room at Metropolis, 950 NE Second St., Miami. Tickets cost $20. Call 305-415-0000, or visit wanttickets.com.